Review: Hits And Misses In The Windows 8 Developer Preview

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The more we use the Windows 8 developer preview, the more it appears that Microsoft developers think people are not becoming more computer savvy, but less. The intention, of course, is to hide the complexity and the power to do damage while providing an operating system that "just works." We get that.

But by doing so, does Windows 8 and its Metro application launcher leave IT with enough control to secure the OS and to fix problems as they arise, and will the platform be compatible with applications people are using every day?

To begin answering these questions, the CRN Test Center loaded a handful of common apps onto a machine running the Windows 8 developer preview that Microsoft began distributing at September's Build conference. This cursory examination sought simply to kick the tires a bit more than we've seen done elsewhere. Like the cross-section of apps and features we tested, results were mixed.